Yumiko watched Yukina leave. The other guy was leaving too, walking
to a different direction. The iron man had left earliest, after veering
his head to different directions like a lunatic. He looked surprised, repeatedly
shouting 'Master? Master?' frantically. Then, he left swiftly, but no matter
how frenzied he was, he managed a cheerful wave at Yukina. 'I'll be there,
beautiful girl!! Count on me!' he yelled merrily, as though he and Yukina
had been friends for along time now. Yukina waved her farewell, smiling.
Hiei and Yumiko watched in disbelief.

Then, they all left. Yukina, as politely
as possible, while the other guy as impolite as usual. She brushed her
arms. Goose bumps were appearing. She shivered, remembering she was drenched.
She had to go home, where Shiori will give her another dress to warm her
up. But before she could leave, fogs appeared and surrounded her.

The next thing she saw was her lord
on a dark cloak, his feet enveloped by fog. He drew near her, and all of
a sudden, her chill vanished. The fog seemed to warm her comfortingly.
But Kentaro's head hung, looking solemn. Yumiko swallowed, not making a
move.

"Ayane," he called her. The fogs formed
a protective shield between them and Ningenkai. "Favor, please?"

"Yes, shujin?" Ayane shuddered, this
time, more in fear, than in her chill. She dropped to her feet. her forehead
almost touching the ground. Her master sounded calm, as usual, but unusually
calm.

"I want you to recite your vows, the
vows you recited long ago. "

"Why?" Yumiko raised her head a little
to steal a glance at her master.

"Just do it," he snapped rigidly.
Their gazes locked. Yumiko looked down immediately, caught in the act of
stealing a glance at him, the normal color of her cheeks evolving to a
dark shade of rouge. She did not know how to react to him after what had
happened the previous time they met.

"Yes, shujin." She shut her eyes,
trying to remember her vows. Almost unconsciously, she began to speak.
The wind began to blow harder and harder "I, Ayane , being your slave,
am vowing to submit my self unto you, my master Kentaro, to do your every
will ,to fulfill your every desire and to be what you want me to be. This
vow is all upon my honor, dignity, principles and my blood for I am nothing
no one without you. I am entirely yours --"

"As I am yours ," Kentaro cut in.
Walking to Yumiko, he knelt to her and scooped up her chin, staring at
her face until she opened her eyes in surprise.

"As you are mine," Yumiko went on,
her gaze locking at Kentaro's as he caressed her cheeks.

"And this vow is binding us as one
with nothing to prevail and nothing has the endowment to separate us from
each other, in wherever world or whatever time we may be, for this vow
is for eternity," they chorused.

Kentaro looked Yumiko at deep in her
eyes for a long time. He planted a soft kiss on her cheek and whispered,
"Please live with your vows, Ayane. Don't fail me."

Yumiko remained immobile, shocked.
It was only now that she understood the real meaning of the vow she had
sworn and she could neither believe it nor accept it. But she just had
to. She could not risk it, knowing Kentaro's personality. She had said
those vows in order to save herself. Because they were not one, who could
have known what Kentaro would have done to her?? Too early said unknown
but known too late. Nodding, she tried concentrating on her master's eyes
hopelessly. But before she could say anything, he disappeared.

He saw Michiko walked to him, her
head bowed, her hands neatly crossed before her. Her hair was a mess and
so was her uniform , but she still managed to look lovely. Sayuri's always
lovely, Sasaki fumed admiringly to himself. Even though she had shifted
to another body, she was able to retain her charm, the one which had attracted
Sasaki, the trademark of Sayuri which captured his heart. He jumped from
the tree where he sat after Yomi had left him to welcome the girl coming
his way. She did not look surprised nor irritated by his sudden appearing.

She knew I'm coming. Her reiki is
back! The old Sayuri is back!

He grinned as he welcomed her, but
she just raised her brow in acknowledgment. She gave a little astonished
face in seeing him without his helmet. He retained his grin. The last glint
of the sun's light finally rested under the ground, paving the way for
the half moon that shed Ningenkai its consoling light. Despite all the
darkness, he could see clearly her cerulean eyes which looked calm but
distant. Sasaki leaned back to the tree, as she stood restlessly in front
of him, looking down. He knew she was having a hard time starting a conversation,
unable to speak the words out. Then, she began to look up, her gaze leaping
from one branch of tree to another.

"What is it, Sayuri?" he asked her.
He knew , just by looking at her sapphire eyes that something was up ,something
she could not bring herself to say. He took her chin and gyrated her face
to his.

She gulped for sometime, clearing
her throat. She was obviously tensed. Sasaki cramped his hands.

What could have happened when Yomi
came?? "Hi- hi-hiro, I -"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "What
is it, Sayuri?"

She fixed her eyes again on the ground,
and when she looked up, she brushed his hand off and stomped, turning her
back at him. "I can't do it, Hiro." She spun to him, and dropped to the
ground , frustrated.. She began to cry, he knew, even when he failed to
see through the brown mane that flowed as a curtain to shield her face.
"I can't do it, Hiro. Just kill me. I -- " Her voice trailed off. She was
crying.

He did not react to her words. He
knew something like that would follow. He had been expecting for her to
say that. Before, she was too in love and made a promise. Now, she was
too in love to keep a promise. He punched the tree behind him angrily.
He was getting sick of that Urameshi winning everything, taking everything
form him. I'll kill him , I swear! Nevertheless, he decided to be patient
and just see the good side of everything bad and let his mind, not his
anger, rule him.

"I love him, Hiro. I don't love you
anymore!" she confessed.

That triggered Sasaki's fury. His
eyes widened with rage. Oh, no. I have not been expecting that! He knelt
to her and took her chin. "Nani??"

He clutched her chin harder. "You
- you -" was all he could say. He was dying to lay hands on that Urameshi
kido. His hand shook with rage.

Michiko trembled with fear. She had
scarcely seen that great ire that came to her ex-lover's face. And when
she did saw, it never failed to scare her. Hiro had a bad temper, like
a volcano which erupts without warning. She handed him back the dagger
which she kept inside the pocket of her skirt. "Just kill me, Hiro. I know
I hurt you, but you could never teach a heart with a dagger."

He stared at the dagger she was handing
him. "I hate you, Sayuri --"

"I know ---"

"HOW COULD YOU?!"

She shook her head. "I don't know!!!!"

He snatched the dagger from her without
releasing her chin. He smashed the ground angrily with his other hand,
then released her. She kept her gaze on the ground, still trembling. He
was not the same Hiro she had known. She tried to look for answers that
swarmed in her head. It was very hard to believe it was really him, Hiro,
her lover, her only happiness. Now, he was not her happiness at all, but
her grief and sorrow. Is he just some shape shifter sent by the underworld
to make my life miserable? Who is this Hiro I'm talking to?

He stood up, dusting his hands on
his thighs without a word. Winding his head to different directions, he
seemed to be sensing something which he was unwilling to share. She stood
up too, wiping her tears. He turned his back on her. Silently, she touched
his shoulder. "Hiro, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to --"

Her apology was cut off as he pushed
her hand off as he turn, withdrawing a boomerang that caught Michiko on
her wrist, sending her to slam against a tree just behind her. She looked
at him, shocked. Her wrist was not bleeding at all . The tips of the steel
boomerang was loosely planted on the bark of the tree , giving a cautious
distance for her wrist and the blade. "Hir -" He crossed his arms over
his chest, every bit of his emotion disappearing. His anger was replaced
by a smirk and his eyes showed nothing but wicked mirth Michiko feared.
She tried to reach for him with her other free hand, but he threw another
boomerang that confined her arm to the tree.

"Hiro, please --" She looked from
boomerang in clasping her to him helplessly, then she gasped in realization.
"Gosh, Hiro! You could not be the one who was attacking Miyuki!!"

A sneer came to his face. "Yes, Sayuri,
I was the one. I am the one."

He drew nearer her in a few sinister
strides. Michiko held her breath. He was not Hiro at all. He had changed,
not the Hiro she had loved. How could I have been so blind? He came so
near her that she felt his breath on her face. He held her waist, staring
at her eyes. He kissed her lips, but she tried to shake him off. "Hiro
please, no!!"

Laughing, he held her chin once more.
"You don't want me? Fine! But I want you." He took her head and pulled
it to his, feeding her lips with his kisses. She refused him, trying to
get her hands free . The blade sliced on her skin that drove her to stop.
She kicked him with her foot. "Stop it, Hiro!" she managed to say.

He lifted his lips from hers and met
her eyes. "You don't really want me, or do you? Fine, fine, really." He
squeezed her cheeks with his hand.

She glared at him angrily. "No, I
don't. "

He made a face. "It's fine , Sayuri.
I don't care how you feel. Not anymore that you don't feel anything for
me." He laughed loudly and menacingly.

"Why do you keep making my life miserable
? And why get Miyuki in all of these?" she screamed at him.

He grimaced. "Mind your own business!"

"Miyuki is my business!" she snapped.

"Oh, really? Are you her lover too?"
he snapped back.

"What if I say yes?? Does it bother
you?" Michiko shot again.

"No not all! I've never been so happy
!!" he retorted heatedly. Michiko shut up, flaring at him. He began looking
up again on the trees as though he was seeing something briskly moving.
"What the --"

"Scared, Hiro?"

"Shut up!" Then he watched her, a
glint growing in his eyes. He laughed wickedly as a plan formed in his
head.

"You were right, Genkai," Yukina said
to the older woman, her brows furrowed. "But why do you think are they
going to fight?" She leaned down and threw the fire woods she had gathered
in her arms to the center where three medium size stones where sitting
.

Genkai shrugged silently as she picked
up a wood. "I don't know. It's only Hiei who can tell us what and why."

"Well, what do you think?"

Genkai focused her attention to the
woods she was collecting, but she stopped in hearing her question. "I think,
judging from the way they look, they're going to butcher each other." She
dropped down again, picking up more woods.

Yukina stood still, thinking. "Uh,
Genkai, do you think one of them - er -one of the two is my brother?" She
had explained to Genkai how she saw that Hagire Nishimoto hanging out with
Michiko and had invited the two of them to the gathering. She knew Genkai's
words always make sense and had trusted it.

Genkai went on with her work, feeling
Yukina glancing at her back questioningly, waiting for her answer.

If only I could tell you, Yukina.....

But she kept her mouth shut. "Maybe,"
she answered casually ignoring the younger girl's doubting red eyes. There
were reasons, some of which Genkai knew and understood, few she knew of
but failed to understand and most of which she did not know at all. Hiei
is mysterious as a dark night. She heard Yukina walk on again , her feet
crunching on some dried leaves and fallen branches.They were both silent. The insects
chirped noisily and the breeze was cold against their skin. After some
time, Genkai noticed they had gathered enough firewood to keep them lit
until the gathering ended. They piled up the wood to the center and more
stack of the fire woods to one side just adjacent to a tree. Yukina had
picked up a good location within the grove -- just neighboring the riverbanks.

Yukina sat down first with a sigh.
She drifted her gaze from one tree to another with that familiar hopeful
spark visible in her big ruby eyes, like a child who was wishing on a well
with her hands neatly folded in a prayer-like manner. Only the rays of
the moon and the bright stars that jewel the sky like beads of sweat on
Kazuma's face welcomed her sight. Her spirits were beginning to sink to
the tips of her toes. Will not my brother ever come? Her mind was muddled
with perplexity as she had tried to give possible explanations as to why
her brother had not shown himself to her. But all seemed senseless enough
when she stares out at the open sky, her eyes lowering like her being every
second. She had always been wishing upon the biggest star she spotted every
time she had the chance to admire the night's magnificence, yet her wish
remained a wish. Understanding became harder and harder every time she
saw the stars glittering splendidly, making her wish she was witnessing
it with her beloved brother.

Genkai brushed her hands together,
scrutinizing the place. Of all the times Yukina sat like that, she had
that impulse to speak up and just spill the beans with out regards to the
consequences. She could clearly perceive what was written on her head.
Even Kazuma was anxious to know his expected brother-in-law. That brother
Yukina had in mind was every inch the opposite of Hiei in one way, and
so similar to him in another. Genkai raised a brow to herself. But for
one thing, he is mysterious, mysterious as Hiei.

He was the fire that had such a brilliant
light as the night.

How ironic. He remains unseen despite
his great light. Or, maybe it was for good. Hiei never ran out of reasons.
He shows himself only to those who were worthy enough to be shown to. But
Yukina......?

Reasons.

"Let's go back to the temple, Yukina,"
Genkai suggested." They'll be here in no time."

"Kazuma! Minamino is here!" Shizuru
yelled after seeing Kurama standing politely by the door. He was in street
clothes under a dark blue leather coat that contrasted his bright emerald
eyes. Beside him stood another girl who appeared to be fidgety, shifting
from one foot to another uncomfortably, not letting a minute pass without
looking down to check her watch . She had golden eyes and cherry hair that
was darker than Kurama's by some hue. Hmmm. Familiar...... Shizuru heard
a dim answer from Kazuma's room. She beamed at both of them sympathetically,
rolling her eyes cracking her brain. Ahh, yes. The girl in the pagoda.
some days ago. The celebrity girl. "Ne, Shuichi, I didn't know Miyuki is
your girlfriend"The other girl did not say a word
of protest or maybe was too hooked up in her watch to hear what Shizuru
had said. Kurama reddened a bit, shaking his head in denial. "No, no Shizuru.
Just a friend."

Shizuru swung the door impatiently
, dusting her pink blouse lightly. She was clad with blue jeans, a blue
and red bonnet adored her brown hair and a white jacket that hung some
inches below her waist. Her brown hair was on its usual stroke , waving
neatly to one side of her head. Making a face, she sent Kurama one meaningful
glance after inspecting the other girl with her big dubious eyes.

"Really, Shuichi." She raised and
lowered her brows repeatedly with a knowing smile. Turning her face from
Kurama, she peeped out to the direction of Kazuma's room. "What the hell
is taking you long, Kazuma?" she barked irritably.

Kurama spun to Miyuki and was about
to ask her to help him explain to Shizuru, but to his surprise, she was
not listening. She glanced from her watch to everything about her uneasily,
like a boy waiting for his date. "What's bugging you, Miyuki?"

An assuring grin came to her lips.
"Nothing. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Kurama nodded, but was not persuaded.
He knew something happened before he reached the pagoda, but Miyuki would
not tell. She just cried and cried on his chest, not saying a word. Finally,
he was able to lead her to his house by making her stop her tears, expecting
Miyuki would tell him everything that was disturbing her. But as he bandaged
her finger, she remained silent. He was getting worried. Miyuki was almost
bandaged all over , but nothing would make her speak up. The only thing
he could do was to be shoulder to lean on.

"Wow! Miyuki Sakuwa!!" Kazuma boomed
gleefully as he came to the door catching everybody's attention. He rarely
fail to attract everybody's attention when he opens his mouth. "I just
saw your face in the paper today. Again."

"You did?" Shizuru's nagging was cut
off by her brother's comment. She gave a questioning look. "Oh, yeah. Why,
Kurama, your girlfriend is beating you in the popularity contest, huh?"
She grabbed Miyuki's hand and shook it, saying polite greetings and introducing
herself cordially once again.

Kurama opened his mouth to protest,
but seeing nobody was interested to listen, he shut it in defeat.Kazuma's lips formed to a mischievous
beam. "Ah, why didn't you tell me your involved with a celebrity, Shuichi?
How long have you two been involved? You guy didn't mention a thing to
me when we wer last together!" Entwining two of his fingers, he held it
out to Kurama at the same time , slapping him on the back for encouragement,
saying, " That's the way, Shu-chan!! Go for it!!!! I know you can do it!!"

Kurama sighed, but managed to steal
a glance at Miyuki who was unable to hide her puzzlement. He observed his
surrounding. The evening came so briskly that stars already inhabited the
vast sky which was already dark. "C'mon, guys. We'll be late." He shrugged
Kazuma's hand lightly.Shizuru slapped her forehead. "Omigod!!
I forgot! I invited Keiko to the party !! She's expecting me to come over!!"

Kurama gave Shizuru a dry look. The
Kuwabara siblings was driving him nuts. Yusuke should be preparing himself
for explanations. He couldn't imagine Keiko attending a sorrowful farewell
gathering for her rival. But he decided to leave everything to Shizuru.
After all, she invited Keiko and she was all to blame if anything happens.
But a voice in his mind was yelling, 'You invited Shizuru!'. He glowered.
Look on the brighter side -- Keiko might be the same caring and kind-hearted
person to accept Michiko!! He watched Kazuma's sister head back inside
to phone Keiko and warn her of their arrival. Then, the four of them headed
for the Yukimura ramen shop in one row.

Yumiko stood up, seeing everything
dark.

Are my eyes deceiving me?

She couldn't believe the sun had set
to give way for the night. Things happened so fast she barely noticed the
sun setting. So bad. That was her favorite part of the day, when the sun
sinks down to the earth, illuminating so many different colors ,of different
hue, different tint, different shade, but all working harmoniously producing
such a beauty to behold. She glanced up, and balled her hands into a fist.
The moon was full, as round as full. It implies that............

She was actually thinking of going
home to Shiori to change clothes, but the moon discouraged her. Kentaro's
ancestors had regarded the full moon as a good omen with much regard to
their meals. It was said that the moon sets their beings free, so that
it caused her ancestors to rejoice at the sight of full moon grinning after
them. To her, however, the moon was not. It was the time she could feel
herself losing her self control, being eaten by her hunger and thirst.
Because of that, she depended greatly on Kentaro , the only sole creature
who could wipe her hunger away with his kisses. She shivered, remembering
what happened not so long ago. She was not that hungry, but she distrusted
herself. She decided to go back to the pagoda in her moist garments, trying
to rub her chills off by brushing hands on her arms.

The paths was shadowy, and she was
not even certain which of those paths would lead her to the temple. Nonetheless,
she went on, headed to one path without much regard for her safety. She
was too tired to care for that. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew
the only one who could help her was Kurama. So she headed for him, lacking
any concern for his reaction. If he strikes to kill her, she would not
refuse him at all. She hated the order her master just commanded for her
to do, and dying was her only way out and remain faithful to both sides
: Kentaro and Koenma.

The path had some thorny vines ending
it, but she did not halt in her steps. She was seeing some light just few
meters away, and no doubt it was Genkai's temple. She sliced her way through,
bruising her arms. All she wanted right then, that very minute, was to
die.

Botan and Koenma reached Genkai's
temple at quarter to seven. No one was there yet to accompany Genkai and
Yukina and they were the first.

"Kombanwa ," Botan greeted in her
usual merry voice as they entered. Yukina grinned in seeing them. They
were both in their usual Reikai clothing : Botan on her pink kimono and
Koenma on his red-blue-white outfit.

"Good evening to you too!!!" she hailed
back cheerfully. She stood up and walked over, to welcome them.

Anxiously, Koenma looked around. "Can
we be of any help?" he inquired courtly at Genkai and Yukina as they walked
in.

Genkai shook her head. "No, thank
you. Everything is fine."

Botan sat next to Koenma on the floor,
flying her eyes around her. Everything inside Genkai's temple stayed the
same. There was no trace of change or a bit warning to inform there will
be a gathering. "I thought there's a gathering," she whispered to Koenma,
leaning closer to him.

"There is, but not here," pointed
out Genkai who sat herself across the vast chamber beside Yukina.

"Oh," Botan mumbled in comprehension.
They had a little talk on where Yukina had planned to have the gathering
-- right in the middle of the woods where the wind was cold and the moon
was shining. Botan felt herself pitying the green haired girl. She could
clearly recognize some other reasons as to why Yukina picked that place,
but kept quiet. She knew if she did not, a katana will be pointing to her
throat in split second. There were times that Botan had to speak, and there
were times she had to shut up. Just then came Kurama, Kazuma, Shizuru,
Miyuki and Keiko (much to the four's surprise!). They fell silent as the
five came in. Botan exchanged querying looks with Yukina across the room,
but the latter did not fail to greet them as courteous as possible. Gradually,
the silence decreased as each found someone to talk to. Kurama introduced
Keiko to Yukina.Kazuma was busily annoying Kurama,
but in remembering Yukina, he quickly transferred his attention to her.
His obnoxious eyes were suddenly shimmering with hearts as he noticed her.
He sat down immediately next to her, much to Kurama's relief. Only, Shizuru
was still bugging Miyuki and had not told Keiko what the gathering was
all about. Keiko sat down beside him and nudged him silently. "Shuichi,
what is the gathering for?" she asked. She was evidently innocent and Shizuru
had not fed her with any information. Then, he almost punched himself.
He had not told anything to Shizuru or to her brother. They , more likely,
did not know anything. He crept a glance at the two. Well, looks like they're
not interested either!!

Shizuru, who was talking to Miyuki
some feet from them, turned, one brow raised. "Yeah, Shuichi. I forgot
to ask you. What the bloody heck's gathering for?" she asked loudly. Everybody
became silent, except for Kazuma who held Yukina's soft small hands in
his, looking in her eyes like a hungry wolf.

Kurama turned from Shizuru to the
imploring eyes of Keiko, his throat very dry. He could feel many eyes boring
to him. Botan shifted in her seat uneasily. Koenma concentrated his attention
in massaging his thighs. Yukina clasped at Kazuma's hands without a word.
Genkai stayed the same. But what caught his eyes was Miyuki, looking down
at her hands, as though she was not hearing or seeing anything. She was
there physically, but not mentally. It seemed like she had bigger problems
to face, a lot bigger than the lump in Kurama's throat. It pained Kurama
to see the usual happy Miyuki replaced by a sad one.It was always hard to have to hurt
a lady. But why did it always have to be him to spill everything?? Aaaaahhhh!
I'll kill you, Shizuru!!! "Uh, um, well, um, Keiko --"

"I'll explain everything," a voice
joined. Everybody spun to the owner of the voice. Yusuke Urameshi was standing
by the door, his head hung, his fingers on the belt loop of his faded jeans.
He offered his hand to the still confused Keiko and led her outside where
he explained everything.

Michiko hid herself behind a tree,
holding once again, the silver dagger in her hand. She had made a deal
with Hiro : she kills this one last person Hiro wanted very badly, and
he stops his aggression of Miyuki and Yusuke.

She heard a crunching of leaves, knowing
it was her victim coming. But she had no idea what or who or was her prey.
That was part of the deal. Hiro declined to tell her anything but she had
to do her work as efficiently as possible.Pressing her body against the hard
log, she held her breath. She could sense a strong ki dispelling from her
target. Few viable presumptions came to her head as to what kind of creature
Hiro wanted so badly but was too dastard to murder it himself. A line of
sweat embedded on her brows and to her neck in defiance of the verity that
the night wind was cold. The grove seemed so quiet suddenly, like all was
holding their breath in tautly waiting for what was to be seen. Well, he
must be somebody creepy enough to go out to the middle of the forest on
a night like this! She assured herself over and over again that what she
was doing was for a good cause. Through bad means, that is.

But some part of her was disagreeing,
but she did not move from her position, knowing the Hiro was watching her.
Although she could not feel his presence, she could feel his eyes investigating
her every move, waiting for her to flunk at least one word in their deal.
A thought of Hiro , the machiavellian Hiro, came to her mind that made
her grip the dagger. She could not believe she had fallen madly in love
with him some years ago. He's nothing but a jerk!! Not at all like the
old Hiro I once knew, she reflected sadly. He's not worthy of any promises!!!
She stabbed the tree with her dagger furiously. She had to do this for
Miyuki and for Yusuke. Hiro had stated that he was going to forget the
two if she murders this creature that was coming to her in slow strides.

Miyuki. The thought made her smile,
lighting up few little stokes of hope in her heart. She knew that girl
only for a few days or even just hours, but the damsel's personality had
attracted her in no time. She wished, all her heart, for her happiness,
remembering Miyuki holding her hand safely in hers. The last time they
saw each other was when Hiro attacked her with his boomerang. Why, Hiro?!
Why and how could he do something like that??? The more she thought about
it, the more she was convinced it was not Hiro at all, but some shape shifters
from the underworld.

Yusuke. His face widened her smile.
He loved her so much and had opened her eyes to what love really was. It
was the universal language of Ningen and demons. The sole language, and
she herself was the living proof. He was hesitating to leave her alone
to Hiro, but trusted her after she had assured him she could handle everything.
But she knew he will be there for her, no matter what, even if went a million
miles away. His heart will always be with her, hopefully, even after her
death.The coming noise interrupted her
mind. It's about time. She prepared herself and the dagger. Sensing her
victim -to-be was close to the tree, she lunged at it, dagger first.

The creature did not appear surprised.
He had a long dark hair that cover shielded his face as it hung. He was
on a cloak, a dark cloak which was drenched. Michiko had managed a good
wound of his slender arms which bled almost immediately. But she stopped,
seeing the creature not doing anything to save himself from her attacks.
He just stood, his head bowed. Could I be mistaken?? Is this the creature
Hiro ordered me to kill??

"Go- go-gomen nasai," Michiko stammered
uncertainly.

He looked up without a word. Michiko
stepped back, but her eyes widened. It was no he but a she. The wind blew
her hair and it flowed, revealing her face . She let out a feeble smile,
her eyes sympathetic. "Yeah, it's fine."Michiko watched her in disbelief.
The other girl had said the words out so sincerely Michiko pitied her.
It was as if Michiko had just walked on her shoes and it was no sweat to
be walked over again. "I'm so sorry --"Are you nuts? DO IT!! a voice boomed
inside her mind. Hiro was talking to her in her mind.She stared from the dagger to the
girl , clearly befuddled. She scanned the trees for Hiro unsuccessfully.
But I think I'm mistaken.......

"Do it," the girl said calmly, noticing
her murderer's confusion.Michiko trembled, glancing at the
girl. She couldn't bring herself to do harm to such innocent-looking damsel.
I have to do it!!! She raised the dagger again, silently gathering her
determination as she took a deep breath.The girl walked near her, placing
a hand on her shoulder, much to Michiko's profound surprise."Roses shall shed its petals for
you."

Her words sent chills to her spine,
that left its sting for quite a while, numbing her whole body. She lost
her breath, extremely filled with shock. "Ayane," she gasped, unable to
contain her surprise. She had forgotten about that bond maid, but in hearing
the comforting words she had used to console Michiko, more of the past
came hurling back suddenly at her head and Michiko remembered the name.
How could she ever forget that girl??The girl looked astonished. " How
did you ............? "

Michiko, this time, looked even more
astonished, looking at the other girl's dark eyes. "Ayane?" It was not
coincidences at all. It was clear . No other girl, but the creature herself
. She dropped the dagger to the grasses, falling on her knees, crying.
"I'm so sorry, Ayane. I'm so very sorry. I --" She looked up, meeting Ayane's
dark eyes.The girl appeared to be in a state
of confusion, but she narrowed her eyes as their gazes locked, and no sooner,
recognition took place. "Sayuri ?"

Michiko nodded, tears falling on her
cheeks, but happiness visible in her sapphire eyes. She tore her clothes,
and , standing up, wrapped it around the Ayane's wounded arm which was
gushing wildly with blood. Ayane remained still, shocked but gladdened.
Michiko hugged her tightly after finishing tying a piece of her garments
on Ayane's arm. Ayane hugged her back, but pulled away suddenly.

"So long, Sayuri. I have to go somewhere,"
she muttered silently, turning her face from her. Michiko noticed a glint
of sorrow in her eyes. She took Michiko's hands and squeezed it."Yes. So do I," she admitted, feeling
Ayane's cold hands, hoping to warm it with hers. "But where are you going
? There's so much I have to tell you, Ayane. So many things happened."

"Me too. But I have to go to some
gathering by eight, " she narrated simply going on with her steps.The other girl gave out a friendly
grin, following Ayane. "You're going to my farewell gathering, Ayane. Let's
go."But the girl shook her head. She
could sense a wave of ki nearby. "You go now, Sayuri. I'll be there."

"I understand, Yusuke," Keiko hushed
at the guy whose back was turned to her. As she was listening, she felt
her head falling gradually. But she finally managed to to look up and place
an assuring hand on his shoulder, nodding in understanding.

She saw him hung his head, like he
could not forgive himself for being infidel. "You do?" he asked meekly.
A pang of guilt hit her in hearing his sincere voice, and she dropped her
eyes to the ground. "Of course," she muttered .

He veered to her, and her hand fell
from his shoulder. "No, you don't."

Keiko shook her head defensively,
her brown hair waving around her face. "Yes, I do understand." Yusuke's
eyes were deep brown in the night, yet, it was the same inquisitive Urameshi
eyes that was hard to lie when you look right into it. She pursed her lips.
She did understand. She offered her hand for a shake.

Yusuke stared at it. "What's that
for?" Even amidst darkness, his dumbfounded face looked so apparent."I'm so sorry she had to leave,"
she said, locking her eyes with his to show her sincerity.

He accepted her hand in his, and for
some time, they just shook hands wordlessly, their shadows looming over
the shrubs that isolated them from the world. "Thank you very much, Keiko."
He had actually expected a slap in the face or some piercing shouts of
anger with a stomp of a foot. But he probably underestimated Keiko's understanding,
since she reacted completely otherwise of his expectations.

He released her hand, and headed her
back to the temple without another word.